Silence is Deafening

Chapter 18

It had been six days since Draco and I had spoken, and it made me feel sick. During Potions, I caught myself daydreaming about talking to him, and accidentally tipped over my cauldron by accident. Professor Slughorn laughed it off and helped me clean it up, but I couldn't focus to save my life. I was so angry at him, yet I couldn't be angry at all. I just wanted to talk to him.

This was the thought that ran through my mind as I snuck out of the common room one Monday evening. I dashed to the Room of Requirement, hoping that I could work on the cabinet myself and help Draco. Perhaps he would see that I wasn't just some bloody child, as he said.

Shock was written on my face when I saw his back. He was standing in front of the cabinet, muttering different spells.

"Draco." I called softly, and he tensed up. He didn't turn around, though, like I expected him too. Instead, he continued to whisper the spell I had told him about, over and over again.

I approached him slowly, watching him. When I finally came around to him, he look at me out of the corner of his eye.

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice angry. I was taken aback. Why was he angry at me? He was the one who insulted me the previous week.

"I was coming to work on your stupid contraption. I thought you'd have been...elsewhere." I snapped back. Just like that, he infuriated me again. I had come here to do something nice for him, and this is how he acts?

"I don't need your help." He replied casually, and I scoffed.

"So that's why I've spent months coming here? To not help you? Gee, that's news to me." I said, the sarcasm dripping from my voice. Draco finally tore his eyes away from the cabinet and turned to look at me.

"What the fuck do you want from me, Clarke?" He demanded. My jaw dropped. I wasn't exactly planning on having this conversation with him. Not right now, at least.

"I...I just want you to...I dunno. Be nicer to me, perhaps? Now that...we're...y'know..." I trailed off, not sure how to put it into words. What were we? What was I even trying to say to him?

"Clarke, I'm not...Look. I don't know what you're expecting, but I'm not going to be your little boyfriend or whatever. That's not me. I'm not going to be taking you on...dates or anything." Draco snapped, and I drew in a sharp breath.

"You think I'm expecting that? You're dense. If you don't need my help, then I'm leaving." I barked back, spinning on my heel. I was not going to allow him to speak to me like this.

I was halfway to the door when I heard him call out.

"Elizabeth...just...wait, okay?" He called, and I paused without turning around.

"Look, I'm sorry, alright? I'm just...stressed out. I have to finish this, as soon as possible." Draco said, his voice no longer having the biting edge to it. I approached him again, still appraising him with angry eyes. He suddenly looked very sheepish as he refused to meet my eyes.

"I know, Draco. I'm trying to help you as best as I can but you won't let me." I said.

"What am I supposed to do, Clarke? Just open myself up bare? Tell you all my innermost thoughts? It's not going to happen." He said, sounding frustrated.

"You've just...got to give me something to work with. You don't know me and I don't know you. I've been helping you for months and I barely know a thing about you. I'm not expecting much." I said, throwing my hands up in frustration. Draco sighed and motioned for me to sit down.